ROBERT

See also:

• CAESAR, GAIUS JULIUS (102—44 B.c.)
• CAESAR, SIR JULIUS (1557-1558-1636)

CAESAR

See also:

• CHILDERS, HUGH CULLING EARDLEY (1827-1896)
• ROBERT CAESAR CHILDERS (1838-1876)

CHILDERS (1838-1876)  , English Oriental scholar, son of the Rev . Charles Childers, English chaplain at Nice, was born in 1838 . In 186o he received an appointment in the civil service of Ceylon, which he retained until 1864, when he was compelled to return to England owing to ill-health . He had studied Pali during his residence in Ceylon, under Yatrramulle UnnSnse, a learned Buddhist for whom he cherished a life-long respect, and he had gained an insight into the Sinhalese character and ways of thought . In 1869 he published the first Pali text ever printed in England, and began to prepare a Pali dictionary, the first volume of which was published in 1872, and the second and concluding volume in 1875 . In the following year it was awarded the Volney prize by the Institute of France, as being the most important philological work of the year . He was a frequent contributor to the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, in which he published the Maha-parinibbana Sutta, the Pali text giving the account of the last days of Buddha's life . In 1872 he was appointed sub-librarian at the India Office, and in the following year he became the first professor of Pali and Buddhist literature at University College, London . He died in London on the 25th of July 1876 .